The Winner is Announced...

I would have done the announcement on Saturday, but my weekend was very full. I made a homemade Thanksgiving feast for my hubby and I on Thursday and then the rest of the weekend was busy with Six Flags, shopping, sleeping in, coffee with a friend, thrifting, and movies. :-) Ahhh, it was wonderful! :-D

So today I wrote each name on a piece of paper (some had double entries) and put them in a cup and mixed them up. I then had Michael randomly pick a paper. :-)

Congratulations to my sweet friend
Lauren Rose from North Carolina!

Thank you to everyone for participating in my first giveaway. Be on the lookout for my next one in January!

Confetti Spaghetti...

I am sure we all have those night where we do not feel like cooking a scrumptious and gourmet meal. Tonight was one of those nights for me. Michael was at school all day studying and I was just plumb tired. I wanted to make something really quick, but I also wanted Michael to enjoy his dinner. As I was pulling leftovers out of the fridge, a light bulb went on in my otherwise very sleepy brain. Here is the result. :-)

Sorry the picture isn't the best quality, but it helps you get the drift. ;-)

~ Confetti Spaghetti ~
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 finely chopped or pressed Garlic Cloves
1/2 cup shredded Carrots
1 Tablespoon Bragg's Amino Acids
3 cooked Italian Sausages, chopped into bite size pieces
8 ounces Tomato Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Thyme
Celtic salt to taste
1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream (or full fat Coconut Milk)

Saute carrots in oil until tender. Add Amino Acids and garlic. Mix in the sausage, spices, and tomato sauce and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add cream and simmer for another 5 minutes on low heat.

Serve over a mixture of spaghetti and corkscrew pasta. Close eyes as you savor each bite. ;-)

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Remember that my giveaway for the "Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook" ends at 11:59 Friday evening. Make sure you join in!

The Giveway

Mediterranean Kale...

I absolutely adore Kale. I tell people this and the usual response is "what is Kale?" After pausing in shock, I will explain the tasty yet uniquely piquant flavor to them, and of course the health benefits of this leafy green vegetable. It can be prepared many different ways, and of course eaten raw in salad too. :-) I read somewhere recently that a serving of Kale has more calcium than a glass of milk. :-) Here is a favorite way for me to make it.

~Mediterranean Kale~
1 medium Onion, chopped
2 large cloves Garlic, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons extra virgin Olive Oil
1 large bunch of Kale, coarsely chopped,washed, and dried
1 Tablespoon Coconut Aminos 
2 Tablespoons Tapenade
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon Marjoram
Dashes of pepper and cinnamon
1 small jar Marinated Artichoke Hearts, chopped
1/2 cup Feta Cheese
1 small Tomato, diced
Celtic Salt, to taste

~Dressing~
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Teaspoon brown Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon dried Rosemary
1/2 Teaspoon dried Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon dried Thyme
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt

Saute onion in olive oil until transparent. Add Kale and cooked until slightly wilted. Add all other ingredients (with the exception of the Feta and Tomato) and cook for 5 minutes. Do not allow Kale to become soggy. Add Tomato and Feta cheese and lightly drizzle Kale with Dressing before serving.

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Just a reminder about my Giveaway for the "Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook". The contest ends one week from today (the 27th) so get your entries in! I am thoroughly enjoying reading everyone's food memory. :-) Believe me, you don't want to miss out on this incredible cook book!

The Giveway

Very First Giveaway....

So I am going to have my very first giveaway. :-D Why? Well, for a couple reasons. One, I want to expand my readership. Second, I want to do something fun for the people who read and try my recipes. :-)

The prize? "The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook" by Elana Amsterdam
Believe me, even if you are not gluten intolerant or sensitive, these recipes are amazing!

"The prevalence of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity among millions of adults and children has created the need for gluten-free recipes that are as nutritious and tasty as their traditional counterparts. Popular food blogger Elana Amsterdam offers ninety-nine family-friendly classics--from Pancakes to Eggplant Parmesan to Chocolate Cake--that feature her gluten-free ingredient of choice, almond flour. Because these recipes are low glycemic, low in cholesterol and dairy, and high in protein and fiber, they are also ideal for people with diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol.

So whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast treat, a comfort food entrée, or a showstopping dessert, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook proves that gluten-free cooking can mean healthy eating for everyone."

Here is what you need to do~
Comment and tell me your name, blog, that you have posted about my giveaway on YOUR blog, and a food related memory from childhood. If you post it on Twitter, facebook, myspace, or another social network, comment again and let me know and that will count for another entry. You can get an extra entry if you also make another comment and tell me if you've made one of my recipes and what you thought about it!

Deadline: November 27

Here is a food related memory of my own to hopefully amuse you and kick off my first giveaway. :-)

When I was around 13 my sister was given this special exotic blend of spices. One evening when I was given kitchen duty, I decided to make spaghetti sauce for the first time and use this new spice blend. I also decided not to use a cook book and just "throw everything together". Wow, I was impressed with the tasty sauce and so was my family. As they were eating, my dad made a comment that the spaghetti sauce looked unusual. As they were finishing up, I went to go start cleaning up the dishes and I picked up the bag of spices and took a second look. The contents were moving! Yep, there were tons of black bugs in the bag! It was more "exotic" then we realized. ;-) I was so upset but there wasn't anything I could do at that point. It sure caused me to check my spices religiously from then on.

~Sweet & Zesty Noodle Salad~

I got bit by the cooking bug again. After so many months of recovering from Hudson's birth and sickness, I feel like my creativity is finally coming back to the surface. I know Michael is happy because a man can only stand so many boxes of Mac n' Cheese or Fish Sticks. ;-)

There is something about the addictive blend of sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic and honey that make the taste buds dance in delight. :-D Of course when you toss that combination with noodles and veggies, it makes a complete masterpiece. This is meant to be a side dish, but if you add some chicken (marinated in some of the dressing before being cooked) it would be a great for an entire meal. :-)

~Sweet & Zesty Noodle Salad~
14 ounces Chow Mein noodles, cooked
8 ounces broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces and blanched
1 tomato, diced 1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 pound asparagus, ends cut off and cut into bite sized pieces and then blanched (I blanch the asparugus with the broccoli to save time)
1/4 cup sauteed cashews (just saute them in a pan
with 1 tablespoon coconut oil and 1 tsp Bragg's. Let cool)
Garnish with chopped cilantro

~Dressing~
1 tablespoon brown mustard
1 tablespoon thyme
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Bragg’s Amino acids or low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon Ume Plum vinegar (if you don't have it, then just leave it out. It does add a nice flavor to it though)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (or 1 tsp powdered)
2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Oil
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon powdered)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste, if needed

Creamy Tapenade Dip...

One of my absolute favorite foods is olives. I could live off of them. I actually feared that I wouldn't like olives when I was pregnant or be able to tolerate them, but I was blissfully able to consume a few jars a week, to Michael's disgust (he loathes olives). :-P I was in the mood today for something salty, yet creamy and dip-able. Here is my creation. :-)


Creamy Tapenade Dip
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons real mayonnaise
1/4 cup green or black olive Tapenade
1 tsp. Bragg's Amino Acids
1/4 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
Seasoned salt to taste (I used Creole Seasoning, but any type would be fine)

Whip cream cheese until smooth and gradually add mayonnaise.
Fold in Tapenade. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
Chill for 30 minutes. Serve with crackers and/or vegetables of your choice.

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken...

Chicken. It is the meat for us folks who have limited resources. :-P Whole chickens are so cheap and filling. There is nothing better than creating a new and tasty crockpot recipe for a whole chicken and have your husband smack his lips over it. And then of course, the next day I usually make a soup out of the carcass (sounds delectable right?) and throw in all sorts of random veggies.

Enjoy this. It is definitely a delight for the taste buds. Let me know what you think!


1 (3-4 pound) whole chicken, skin removed
1/2 cup chicken broth (I try to use either homemade or gluten free)
1/2 cup Bragg's Amino Acids
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tsp Fish Sauce
2 tsp powdered ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2-3 tablespoons minced garlic
Dash of cayenne pepper


1. Remove skin from chicken, and empty inner cavity of contents within. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel, and place inside the slow cooker. Peel and quarter the onion and place inside cavity of chicken.

2. In a bowl, stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, olive oil, honey, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, fish sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Pour mixture over chicken, and cover.

3. Cook chicken on low setting for 8 hours, or 4 hours on high setting. Periodically open and baste. Serve over brown rice.

Easy Quiche...

4 eggs
1 1/2 milk
1 tsp. salt
2 cups cheese
2 tbslp. flour

350 oven
Combine eggs, milk, and salt. Toss cheese with flour. Add cheese mixture to egg mixture. Pour into pie shell or if wanting low carb, just pour into greased dish. Bake 40-45 min. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

Variations:
You can add any cooked veggie or meat to this dish. :-)

Chicken Tikka Masala...

Ingredients for chicken marinade:
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. powdered ginger)
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

Tomato Cream Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup coconut milk (do not use lite)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For Chicken Marinade:
In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least one 1-3 hours.

Cook chicken (with marinade) until cooked through and then drain. Set aside until needed.

For Tomato Cream Sauce:
Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion until onion is transparent. Season with cumin, paprika, and salt. Add cilantro and stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.

Add cooked drained chicken to tomato cream sauce, and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over white or brown rice, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

My husband told me that the richer class will eat it with Naan (a traditional flatbread) but the poorer people eat it with just rice and an Indian yogurt (a watery yogurt with onions) after the meal.

Strawberry Field Salad...

Strawberry Field Salad
Field Greens (enough for your family)
Toasted pecans and/or walnuts
Four large strawberries, thinly sliced
Handful of dried currants
Handful of Craisins
Handful of crumbled Feta Cheese
Handful of salted sunflower seeds

Mix all together and add dressing right before serving.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons. brown mustard
2 tablespoons thyme
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Bragg’s Amino acids or low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together until well blended.